Hooniverse Asks- What’s Your Favorite Truck?
Nothing’s more American than the pickup truck. Whether hauling bales of hay or a tradesman’s tools, these workhorses exemplify the strong work ethic and sense of personal achievement that is the embodiment of our nation’s ethos. All three of the remaining American manufacturers build trucks today, as do many of the foreign makers- trying to capture some of that magic in a bottle that for so long was only the providence of those born under the stars and stripes. But which one do you like the best?
Over on the Jalop we ruminated over the value of a $3,000 Ford E100 this moring. These forward-control pickups lost out to the more traditional long-nose form factor, but, as the voting shows, they still have their fans to this day. Most predilections fall in line with brand rather than form, and pretty much the lines are drawn between the Ford guys and the Chevy fans. A funny thing is that there is a geographical divide to this as well- with the east and west coasts pretty solidly Ford, and the great expanse of the midwest Bow Tie country.
Of course, it’s not just these two makers that have cheering sections- Dodge, GMC, International, and even Toyota, Nissan Honda and Mitsubishi have their advocates. But when it comes down to sales and spittle-flying fervor, it’s Chevy vs. Ford for the main event. We already know what some of you will say, as noted by this shot of texanidiot25′s C10, but that doesn’t mean the rest of you can’t weigh in. So, what lumber hauler gives you wood?
Image sources:[Wikipedia, deviantart]
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![http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4296374457_960877247b.jpg"](http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4296374457_960877247b.jpg"){kind=link}
Anything with an International badge. Specifically:
http://knoxville.craigslist.org/cto/1556363747.ht…
There's a 1950-ish L-110 (I think) parked next to a barn on my commute. I haven't stopped in to take a look, but the cab looks in decent shape. The bed has some rust but not a bunch. No idea if the guy is selling it. I know he put a tarp over it a few weeks back, but the tarp blew off not long after. So it's not like it's their pride and joy.
Too bad it's not stored inside somewhere.
Excluding the El Camino, Ranchero and the forward control pick ups, I miss these sturdy old beasts
<img src="http://www.jpscout.com/images/%2768_1200_Big.jpg"
<img src="http://images.jpmagazine.com/featuredvehicles/154_0710_01_z+original_jeep_gladiator_and_jt_pickups+m715_m725_gladiator.jpg">
<img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_5oKZlR4GDfc/StbfOZ8EnzI/AAAAAAAAA14/jCaPqh3QJxU/1968%20international%201200c%20travelette%20post%20wash%20customikes%20before%20chop%20top.jpg">
Funny, I was just looking at a $500 Gladiator this morning on CL and trying to figure the odds that it wouldn't end in divorce and/or institutionalization.
<img src="http://images.craigslist.org/3ob3p53l35O15S85R5a1ia570f8a52fd81aa3.jpg">
<img src="http://www.clunkerfarm.com/vehicles/1967ih1100b/1967ih1100b.jpg"width=300>
I had a '64 International Harvester 1100B exactly like this one. The tractor drive-train in this truck could pull a couple trucks sideways. I had to give it up when I moved to Boston.
Texanidiot25 has wonderful taste! The '67 through '72 GM trucks are by far my favorite. Of course I'd prefer a SWB 2WD, and I like the early metal grills more than the later plastic ones.
My truck of course! A 1998 Dodge Ram SS/T. In Forest Green, with silver racing stripes. Pure perfection. =]
I've never owned any trucks personally, but I wouldn't mind an old F-series truck. If it has to be new, it will have to be the Raptor, hands down. Would be even better if it came with a diesel.
I recently picked up a 1946 Dodge WC 1/2 ton pickup. L head straight 6, 4 wheel drums, 3 speed manual.
I absolutely love driving it. There's something about driving around with the windows down in an old truck. It's the only time I've had a cop pull along side and hold up traffic in the other lane to take a look and give me a big thumbs up. Surreal.
It's not show quality, and never will be. I bought this truck because it's cool, it's old, and I needed a truck. It's made runs to the dump, hardware store, and just around town. Even after I restore it, I'll never feel bad about dumping a load of gravel in the bed. It's a truck, dagnabit, and it will always be used as such. For that reason, all the usual classic car insurance companies told me to go away. Pansies.
I've never been a truck guy before. But I am now. Long live old trucks!
If I ever get a truck, it will be 1960s or older and I will treat it just as you do. Can you show us a picture?
Absolutely. I just happen to have one of the pictures that the previous owner took when I was looking at it.
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/g-Erg5y6kzV0…
My boss has almost the same truck. I'm going to start bugging him relentlessly to get it back on the road.
I also salute you sir. That is one beautiful truck. And it sounds like she has a great life ahead of her.
2000 Ford SVT Lightning….it was red, and it was awesome.
The sensible choice is to buy Dad's Toyota if he ever decides to sell it. The thing has 250k miles on it and the bedliner is growing a nice beard of moss but that will hose out just fine.
Mine.
<img src="http://s14.photobucket.com/albums/a317/ssurfer321/Truck/?action=view¤t=Picture001.jpg">
While my Dad only drove Dodges (and Fargos) I do like any Pick up with a regular cab. The most interesting ones are the Unibody Mercs.
<img src="http://www.mercurypickup.com/1961mercunibody1.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 183px; border: 0" alt="imgTag" />
Those are perhaps the most stylin' trucks ever built. Classy. However, I read somewhere that because of the fact that they don't have a separate bed, it doesn't allow the chassis to flex like it should. I read that it the truck's parked funny, like with one wheel on a curb, the doors would get stuck shut.
I don't care, they still look great.
I forgot about those. I think I've seen one once, ever, when I was a kid. They are pretty sweet.
You bet, the pickup truck is American as apple pie (although I've seen what you do to those pies and frankly… Ew.), and as such my choice for favourite truck is one that was built right down there in good old De… uh… Deutschland.
<img src="http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/1972_Mercedes_Benz_UNIMOG_406_4x4_Diesel_Truck_Front_1.jpg">
Closely followed by a good Canadian vehicle… okay, it's another German.
<img src="http://iltis.ca/images/cust_img/14823/iltic/iltic_385x261.jpg">
UNIMOG FTW.
Shouldn't you be rooting for, uh, a little Yoda Pickup?
Or, even a Big Yoda Pickup would work…
<img src="http://img154.yfrog.com/img154/7579/img0781n.jpg" width="400">
I have been waiting for this question ever since the internet was invented. Seriously. If they ever asked this on Jalopnik, I would have signed up to comment and spill.
My family is a Ford-ish family. My parents have a 1st gen ('93) F-150 Lightning in dented and red. They also have a 2nd gen ('04) F-150 Lightning in Sonic Blue. To me, these trucks are the alpha and omega. First year of Fords sport-truck experiment and the last. Lightnings are my favorite truck. Sadly, I have no pictures, so the following are from the internets:
<img src = "http://www.mustangsandmore.com/memberpages/kk_Lightning_1.jpg">
<img src = "http://www.nloc.net/photopost/data/2438/medium/a2_LFest5_launch.jpg">
<img src=http://www.mustangsandmore.com/memberpages/kk_Lightning_1.jpg>
<img src=http://www.nloc.net/photopost/data/2438/medium/a2_LFest5_launch.jpg>
thank you, bro. i triple clicked before finally figuring it out.
How's it go?
Never took it to the track but it can pull a Ford Ranger out of a 7' ditch like it isn't even back there.
I'm a sucker for crew cabs, but old and weird ones, not jacked up automotive codpieces. So this http://intl-harvester.com/images/IH%20PICKUP%204…. is my kind of truck, along with the forward control Jeep and the VW transporter doka.
I remember laughing at ads for one of the four-door compact pickups – Sport Trac maybe, or S-10 – claiming that it was "the first four-door pickup truck".
Toss up between:
<img src ="http://hooniverse.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/FC_LF12-1024×768.jpg" width="400">
http://hooniverse.com/blog/2009/12/11/fc150/
And yesterday's F250
Can't pick just one, but there are four awesome ones that stand out in my mind, for varying reasons.
Studebaker pickup for styling.
70-71 Dodge Dude for weirdest factory option package.
Corvair Rampside for most interesting engineering choices.
Power Wagon for pure concentrated badassery.
Among late models: my pickup. I didn't want a half-ton, it came down to the Dakota and the Ranger and I found that I liked driving the Dakota better.
<img src="http://i48.tinypic.com/jg3x1u.jpg"/>
Among older models: the '73-'79 F-series, especially the '78-'79 with the square headlights. We had up to six of em going on the family farm till the early '00's when my Dad got tired of how much fuel they took. This one had the 400M with a 500 cfm carburetor and only a 16 gallon tank… you wanted to gas up every 160 miles, but they were a fun 160 miles.
<img src="http://i49.tinypic.com/2j5lv0i.jpg"/>
I'd swear that's an I-de-ho plate you blurred out there. Where 'bouts you from?
Actually that's the South Dakota '01-'06 plate design, very much like the Idaho plate at first glance though.
I'm partial to the 60-66 GMCs.
However, pretty much anything forward-control is tied for second, and the Jeep Gladiator/J-series in third.
Oh snap, I've been DISCOVERED!
You've hit the big-time, son!
On the topic of trucks, I like most of 'em, so long as they aren't too proud or shiny to carry loads that exceed their ratings, beat through scratchy underbrush or back up to a loading dock by braille. I've had several and while I've had nicer, my favorite is probably an early 80's GMC 3/4 ton 2WD with bare steel in the cab, manny tranny with granny, crank windows, no A/C, hitch balls front and back, ridiculously high profile tires on steelies with dogdishes, a bench seat for 4 close friends that provided most of the suspension and well over 200K on the clock. THAT was everything a truck should be, no more, no less.
So many to choose from… I am torn between Fords and Dodges personally and if I had to choose would select a 60's era 3/4 ton. A truck has been on the _Science household's lists of "wants" for a long time (as you can guess, it is a long list). We sold my 2001 V6 Dodge Ram in 07, and since then have been looking for a replacement. The http://hooniverse.com/blog/2010/01/21/the-perfect… comes close, and if we didn't already have 5 cars, it would be hard to pass up, infact a year ago we would have bought it in a second. For now my truck is the 2000 Jeep Wrangler and the happy yellow military trailer <img src="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mad_science/sets/72157611272094124/">
attempt number 2… <img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3296/3108275145_b017a4cf98.jpg">
My favorite shot:
<img src=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3655/3529687589_3a20f7e950.jpg>
It's an agony to answer a question like this…why must you make me choose?
The old International and Plymouth pickups that were on Barrett-Jackson earlier this week…Pretty classy, but not A+ restorations that you are afraid to breathe on, let alone drive or abuse. (Darn, couldn't find pix)
Or maybe the new Raptor some guy is driving around town.
The next door neighbor's beat-to-hell VW Rabbit pickup, because it makes me laugh.
My current '04 Tundra access cab…because he's a Jack-of-all-Trades, like me.
Any pickup between when cars first started roaming the countryside to about the late 80's when they became too square and too new.
Unless in show condition, the rustier and more well used, the better.
Any old pickup is lovable. But of course, my favorite truck is my truck. '87 Toyota, single cab, short bed, 5-speed, 22R (carbed), black. Given its age and location, it's in really nice shape. Starting to get the standard rear wheel well disintegration, but if i can find the time this summer junkyard boxsides from the South aren't terribly expensive.
When that happens, she'll get painted WWII vintage, Imperial Japanese Army olive with matte black trim and matte black where the chrome is now. And if i came into money tomorrow, she'd get a frame off restoration and conversion to propane…and then i'd drive her every day for the rest of my friggin' life.
[img]http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/94/l_…
Works for plywood too.
[img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2782/4296004391_15…
Works for plywood too.
<img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2782/4296004391_15ff566699_o.jpg" width="600" height="450" alt="obietruck" />
Works for plywood too.
You may need a trailer to haul around all the win in that picture.
<img><a href="http://www.uneedapart.com/images/gmc-sprint-parts.jpg/img" target="_blank"><a href="http://www.uneedapart.com/images/gmc-sprint-parts…%3C/a%3E" target="_blank">